Communication strategies are tactics, methods, and bridges advertising creators use in communicating a message to be distinct from their competitors. This research was intended to reveal communication strategies of television cigarette advertisements in Indonesia in conveying their messages. Restricted by a rather complicated regulation, there arises a challange for advertising creators to search for an appropriate communication strategy. Being prohibited to visualize any cigarette, cigarette's packaging, and not allowed to persuade people to smoke is a considerable hard regulation. Not to mention regulation on advertisement broadcasting hours that begin from 09.30 P.M. to 05.00 AM on local time. The communication strategies of the three cigarettes' advertisements to discuss were: A Mild, Star Mild, and L.A.Lights cigarettes products, by surfacing an extract of community life as packaged creatively.

To reveal communication strategies of the three cigarettes' advertisements, this research used a qualitative Â descriptive approach by combining audio Â visual descriptive technique and content analysis technique in a asystematic manner. Qualitative Â descriptive approach was used to reveal the meaning of some qualitative information explained descriptively so as to obtain a meaning interpretation that leaded to a conclusion. Audio Â visual description was used to break down audio and visual elements of each advertisement and then interpreted into denotative and connotative meanings.The content analysis technique was used to determine communication strategies of advertisements in general and in particular and subsequentlyto be assigned a value level based on their frequencies and intensities.

Selected were advertisements of mild cigarettes products (A Mild, Star Mild, and L.A.Lights) on television media. This was because mild cigarettes were a new breakthough in Indonesia's market, which has been dominated by kretek cigarettes. Since 1989, mild cigarettes responded market request and were preferred by the youth. This was because mild cigarettes were apparently "healthy" and supported by their advertisements that voiced inner inspiration and desire of the youth that inclined to challange existing rules. Like kretek cigarettes, mild cigarettes also promote their products by advertisements in television media. Television media with their unparalleled wide coverage and their audio Â visual display made them effective in conveying information as much as posible. Unsurprisingly, television has become a primarily chosen medium of cigarette producers in promoting their product.

This research would reveal creative communication strategy of the three cigarettes' advertisements, mostly by using a combination of slice of life, story line, and close up. Slice of life strategy applied a piece of daily life in making an association with other people. Story line strategy was pursued to make the whole community interested in following the advertising narratives, which were generally attractive, such as a passage of a short movie. Close up strategy was applies in the three cigarettes' advertisements to show the clearance of advertising display expression. The three communication strategies were, in conveying the message, complementary and created attractive, creative, and target Â specific advertisings.

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